Air purification systems or devices are known in which a housing, which may be a portable housing, provides an interior framework for the filtering system. The housing normally has an air inlet, an air outlet, a filtering medium between the inlet and the outlet, and means such as a blower for drawing air in through the inlet, through the filter medium and out through the outlet. Such filtering systems are used in practically any environment, including the home, office, workshop, medical facilities, and even for protection of poultry and domestic animals.
One of the most prolific areas in which air purification systems employ such air filtering apparatus is in the asbestos abatement industry. Such filtering or air purification apparatus include an air blower within the housing, usually in conjunction with a rather sizeable HEPA filter structure. Without going into great detail, HEPA filters have a 99.99 percent efficiency in removing particle material from the air in the 0.3 micron range and, consequently, are used predominantly in asbestos filtering apparatus.
Practically all air filtering or purification apparatus of the character described are fabricated the same. The housing is fabricated of sheet metal material, with the blower and filter components mounted within the housing by a number of mounting flanges, mounting brackets and the like. The flanges and brackets are separate sheet metal components which are secured, as by welding, rivets, screws or bolts within the outer sheet metal housing. Such constructions are rather crude, expensive to manufacture and very difficult to seal in an environment where leakage of asbestos fibers can cause a critical problem. The filtering units themselves, usually being portable and moved from site to site, often are "banged around" by workers, causing the sheet metal material to become dented and causing dislodgement or misalignment of the interior components.
This invention is directed to providing an improved air purification apparatus with a construction designed to address the various problems outlined above.